Speaker Reel - https://vimeo.com/1052840561?fl=pl&fe=vl

Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/neil-redding

Speaker Website - https://neilredding.com/

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Why Neil Redding

Neil Redding is an excellent fit for Verisign’s Registrar Days, particularly as the organization looks to introduce fresh, forward-looking perspectives around artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and industry transformation. With registrars increasingly navigating AI-driven automation, intelligent agents, and evolving digital ecosystems, Neil’s expertise in the Near Future of business and technology directly aligns with the challenges facing Verisign’s partners.

Unlike futurists who focus on long-term speculation, Neil specializes in near-term transformation — helping organizations understand what is coming in the next few years and how to act now. This is particularly valuable for Verisign’s audience, which includes both large global registrars and smaller regional providers looking for practical guidance on how to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Neil’s focus on AI agents, intelligent ecosystems, and adaptive business models is especially relevant as registrars begin to see AI transform how domains are registered, websites are built, and digital identities are created. His perspective helps attendees move beyond simply understanding AI tools and toward thinking about AI as an active participant in their business strategy, which aligns closely with Verisign’s goal of introducing new thinking and forward-looking insights.

Additionally, Neil’s ability to connect emerging technologies with practical business outcomes makes him well-suited for Verisign’s intimate, executive-level environment. His presentations provide both inspiration and actionable takeaways, helping registrars understand how to evolve their businesses, anticipate disruption, and create new growth opportunities in the rapidly changing domain ecosystem.

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Topics

The Near Future of Business With AI Agents

The world is shifting at an exponential pace — AI is no longer just a tool but an active participant in the evolution of business. We are entering the Agentic Era, where businesses will automatically adapt in real time to changes in supply chains, markets, geopolitics, and technology itself.

In this transformative keynote, Near Futurist Neil Redding demonstrates how businesses can shift from static machines to living, self-adjusting ecosystems. AI agents will play an essential role — co-creating business realities, shaping strategy, automating decisions, and executing increasingly complex agendas.

Attendees will leave with a new, actionable paradigm: AI as an active participant in our teams, workflows, and businesses. The near future of business is not merely efficient but continuously evolving — leveraging AI to drive sustainable growth and a resilient, thriving business.

Key Outcomes:

• Key mindsets and strategic clarity for leveraging the Agentic Era's enormous opportunity
• Practical tools and techniques executives can put into action immediately to lead the AI transformation of their businesses
• A blueprint for sustainable, symbiotic business growth

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Co-Creating the Near Future with AI & Spatial Computing

The convergence of AI and spatial computing enables us to conjure what we dream into our shared reality — and into our evolving business models. In this talk, Near Futurist Neil Redding showcases new tools for practical co-creation of the future, starting with the near and even the now.

Drawing on wide-ranging inspiration including quantum mechanics theories, neuroscience, spiritual traditions, psychedelic insights, lucid dreaming and even entrepreneurial creation-from-nothing, we will experience the thin veil separating what is from what we dream. Welcome to the Near Future.

Key Outcomes:

• Business models are no longer bound by past constraints – Gain strategic clarity on how AI enables previously impossible ways of working, creating, and operating
• AI and spatial computing are reshaping reality – Understand how these technologies enable new modes of work and co-creation
• Near Futurism bridges possibility with practical impact – Leaders will learn a new model for leveraging continuously-emerging opportunities to drive immediate business value

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Highlights

• Near Futurist and Innovation Architect with 30+ years of experience in emerging technologies and business transformation
• Founder of Redding Futures, advising organizations on AI, spatial computing, and digital ecosystem strategy
• Built and led Near Future innovation teams at Mediacom, Gensler, and Thoughtworks
• Speaker at leading global events including SXSW, Dubai Future Forum, and Building the Future
• Trusted advisor and consultant to organizations including Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Nike, Visa, and Verizon
• Expert in AI agents, spatial computing, and intelligent business ecosystems
• Creator of the “Near Future Framework” translating emerging technology into practical business value
• Computer scientist and innovation strategist with hands-on experience building future-focused teams
• Known for helping organizations shift from reactive planning to proactive, future-ready strategy
• Recognized for making complex emerging technologies accessible, actionable, and relevant for leadership audiences
• Combines visionary thinking with practical implementation, making him particularly effective for executive audiences
• Dynamic and engaging keynote speaker known for blending storytelling, humor, and actionable insights

Speaker Reel - https://youtu.be/782lo-ED4f8?si=1K-rbJ8n69DjaaT7

Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/nikolas-badminton

Speaker Website - https://nikolasbadminton.com/

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Why Nikolas Badminton

Nikolas Badminton is an exceptionally strong fit for Verisign’s Registrar Days, particularly as the organization looks to introduce fresh thinking around AI, industry disruption, and the evolving future of domain registrars. Unlike many futurists who speak broadly about emerging technologies, Nikolas brings direct, hands-on experience within the domain and digital infrastructure ecosystem, having been involved in domain acquisition and digital strategy for over 30 years — including acquiring futurist.com as part of his own strategic traffic and brand positioning.

This unique combination of futurist thinking and real-world domain expertise aligns directly with Verisign’s audience of registrar partners. As registrars navigate rapid changes driven by AI, automation, and shifting digital behaviors, Nikolas is well-positioned to help them understand not only the broader technology landscape, but also how those changes will specifically impact domain strategy, digital identity, and online business growth.

Additionally, Nikolas’ work with organizations such as Google, Microsoft, Verizon, T-Mobile, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, and the World Intellectual Property Organization demonstrates his deep understanding of internet infrastructure, digital ecosystems, and global technology trends. This experience allows him to deliver insights that feel highly relevant and credible for Verisign’s audience, while still providing the forward-looking perspective they are seeking.

For Verisign’s intimate, executive-level environment, Nikolas delivers the right balance of strategic foresight, engaging storytelling, and practical takeaways. His keynote would help attendees step back from day-to-day operations and think more expansively about how AI, emerging technologies, and industry consolidation will shape the future of registrars — making him an ideal speaker to help elevate and differentiate the 2026 Registrar Days experience.

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Tailored Topic - _{*for further customization}‍

Hopeful Futures: Looking to 2035 and Beyond

What if we can build hope as an energy for change, ignite imaginations, and build anticipation to create better futures?

Nikolas will deliver an energetic and inspiring keynote that helps you explore and see opportunities in the future of your industry, and the exponential technologies shaping our world.

Nikolas will show you how to think like a futurist and shift your mindset from what is to what if… towards hopeful futures. You’ll see global megatrends are changing power dynamics, and explore the trends that will transform your industry – digital transformation, data growth, Artificial Intelligence and automation, spatial computing, water-energy-food resiliency, sustainable agriculture and food supply, construction, transportation and logistics, healthcare, banking and fintech, smart cities, privacy and cybersecurity, and more.

Client takeaways

• Learn the Hope Engineer™ mindset: Ignite imagination, build anticipation, and develop a deep sense of empathy for how change will impact companies and industries
• See hopeful futures ahead of us: Explore signals, trends and scenarios that show how industries will change in the next 5, 10, and 20+ years. Anticipate opportunities, challenges and risks
• See high-hope leadership in action: Learn the stories of how world-leading companies are applying A.I. and futures thinking to supercharging strategic thinking

Nikolas will tailor this talk with the below themes:

• AI & Future of the Internet / Domain Industry
• What’s Next: AI, Automation, and Business Transformation
• Cross-industry insights relevant to tech infrastructure businesses

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‍Highlights

• Chief Futurist at Futurist.com, advising organizations on strategic foresight, emerging technologies, and future planning
• 30+ years working at the intersection of technology, innovation, and organizational transformation
• Trusted advisor to 500+ organizations including NASA, Google, Microsoft, Disney, Rolls-Royce, Samsung, Visa, American Express, and the United Nations
• Bestselling author of Facing Our Futures, named a Top-50 Business Book by The Next Big Idea Club
• Selected by JP Morgan Private Bank as a “Next Gen Pick” for emerging executive leaders
• Advisor to Robert Downey Jr.’s Age of AI documentary series
• Delivered keynote presentations to over 200,000 leaders across 300+ global events
• Featured in leading global media including BBC, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, The Atlantic, and VICE
• Works with trillion-dollar companies, governments, central banks, and startups to anticipate disruption and drive innovation
• Recognized for helping organizations build futures literacy, anticipate risks, and create resilient long-term strategies
• Known for blending AI, emerging technology, and human-centered leadership into practical, inspiring keynote experiences

‍Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7gLE-9R34M&t=13s

Gravity Speaker Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/heather-mcgowan

Speaker Website - https://heathermcgowan.com/

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Why Heather McGowan for Verisign

Verisign sits at the center of one of the most important infrastructures in the world — the internet itself. As AI, automation, cybersecurity, and global digital transformation accelerate, the future of work is not simply about technology — it's about how people adapt, lead, and evolve alongside it.

Heather McGowan brings a powerful, human-centered perspective to technological transformation — helping organizations prepare their workforce, leadership, and culture for constant change.

Heather is particularly compelling for Verisign because she:

• Helps leaders navigate rapid technological disruption and uncertainty
• Focuses on adaptability, curiosity, and learning as competitive advantages
• Bridges AI, automation, and workforce transformation in a practical way
• Equips leaders to guide teams through change, not just react to it
• Delivers highly visual, framework-driven presentations with actionable takeaways

Her message complements technical and AI-focused content by answering the equally critical question:

How do organizations and people evolve alongside accelerating technology?

This makes Heather an exceptional choice for Verisign's audience as they prepare for the next phase of digital infrastructure, security, and AI-driven transformation.

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Topic

Solve Tomorrow's Problems™

Harness Human Ingenuity to Navigate What's Next

Think organizations can't change quickly? History proves otherwise.

When naysayers said "it can't be done," humans accomplished the impossible—in weeks, not years. Each pivotal moment reminds us of humanity’s most underestimated asset: our ability to adapt in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

In this perspective-shifting keynote, Heather challenges the myth that we resist change using unforgettable stories about a mop, a burrito, and a hermit crab to demonstrate how we can tap into our natural curiosity and hardwired drive to collaborate to see and shape what’s next.

Drawing from her bestselling books The Adaptation Advantage and The Empathy Advantage, Heather reveals how leading organizations thrive when they place adaptability at their core, allowing them to find breakthrough opportunities where others least expect them.

The audience will leave with:

• A powerful understanding of how to frame the right question
• Practical approaches to optimize how they adapt to new realities
• Clear frameworks for mapping the past to navigate the future
• The leadership mindset shifts that guide team success in uncharted territories

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Highlights

• Named one of Forbes' Top Futurists
• 2x Bestselling Author: The Adaptation Advantage and The Empathy Advantage‍
• Trusted advisor to Fortune 500 organizations including Google, JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, FedEx, AT&T, and Accenture
• Frequently featured in The New York Times and major global media
• Called an "oasis" for future of work insights by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Thomas Friedman
• Award-winning innovation leader and curriculum designer
• Former Strategic Architect at Jefferson University
• Former Industrial Designer creating award-winning consumer and medical products
• Viral Future of Work thought leader reaching global audiences
• Known for highly visual, practical, and forward-looking keynotes

Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNlKHZRniME

Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/sharon-gai

Speaker Website: https://www.sharongai.com/

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Why Sharon Gai for Verisign — Hong Kong

For Verisign’s Hong Kong event, Sharon Gai offers a uniquely relevant perspective at the intersection of China, AI, digital commerce, and emerging technology ecosystems.

As China and broader Asia rapidly accelerate innovation in AI, robotics, payments, and digital ecosystems, understanding these shifts is critical for organizations operating in global digital infrastructure.

Sharon is particularly compelling for Verisign’s Hong Kong audience because she:

• Brings firsthand experience from Alibaba — one of the world’s most advanced digital ecosystems
• Offers deep insight into China’s AI acceleration and emerging technology landscape
• Bridges Eastern and Western innovation models and business strategy
• Provides real-world case studies from China’s most innovative companies and platforms
• Helps global organizations understand what’s coming next from Asia’s innovation economy

With Hong Kong serving as a global gateway between East and West, Sharon’s perspective helps Verisign leaders better understand:

Where innovation is happening, how quickly it is evolving, and what it means for global technology infrastructure and business strategy.

Her content is forward-looking, practical, and grounded in firsthand experience inside one of the most dynamic innovation environments in the world.

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Suggested Topics

China’s Rise in AI: From the World’s Factory to the World’s AI Lab

After nearly four decades as the “factory of the world,” China today is stepping into a new role in the global economy: as a hub for innovative applications of artificial intelligence. Sharon was in Hangzhou when China's 6 AI Dragons were founded.

DeepSeek: An artificial intelligence company that struck a nerve with Wall Street
Unitree Robotics: Specializes in robotics, particularly known for their robotic dogs and humanoid robots
Game Science: Creator of the globally successful AAA game "Black Myth: Wukong"
BrainCo: Brain-computer interface technology
Manycore Tech: Spatial intelligence and robotics development
DEEP Robotics: Quadruped robots and interactive 3D data capabilities

Why was the country able to develop so quickly? What principles can we borrow from innovations in the east to apply to the west? And more importantly, how should a company prepare for and navigate this new world?

As someone who understands both eastern and western perspectives, Sharon Gai brings cultural fluency and real-world case studies from leading companies across both regions.

Session Takeaways:

• How the government shaped the AI ecosystem in China
• Explore China's role in the global AI landscape
• Discover emerging sectors and industries in China that offer business opportunities
• Gain insights into strategies for managing risks and partnerships in the Chinese market

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Agentic Commerce 2.0: When AI Becomes Your Newest Customer

Consumers are no longer the only ones making purchase decisions — their AI agents are. In the new world of Agentic Commerce, autonomous systems discover, negotiate, and transact for us, reshaping every touchpoint between brand and buyer.

Sharon Gai takes audiences deep into how agentic technologies are transforming commerce. From product discovery to post-purchase loyalty, she shows how brands must evolve their storytelling, data models, and customer experience to stay relevant when algorithms become the gatekeepers of choice.

Drawing parallels between China’s super-app ecosystems and Western AI-driven platforms, Sharon reveals what the future of commerce looks like — and what organizations must do now to thrive.

Key Takeaways:

• Meet Your New Buyer: The AI Agent
• The End of the Funnel as We Know It
• Data as Brand Language
• Loyalty in an Algorithmic World
• Practical Playbook for Readiness

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Highlights

• Former Alibaba Executive helping global brands leverage AI, big data, and C2M (Consumer-to-Manufacturer) innovation
• One of the leading global voices on China’s AI and digital commerce ecosystem‍
• Author of Ecommerce Reimagined: What We Can Learn in Retail and Ecommerce from China‍
• Former General Manager at a billion-dollar ecommerce unicorn• Advisor to global brands and government leaders on digital strategy and AI adoption
• Speaker at TEDx, Singularity University, UBS, Deloitte, Nestlé, Walmart, and Alibaba• Featured in Bloomberg, Reuters, TechCrunch, Retail Asia, The Next Web, ABC, CBC, and CCTV
• World Economic Forum Global Shaper‍
• Expert in China Super Apps including Douyin, RedNote, TikTok China, and emerging AI ecosystems
• Known for bridging Eastern and Western business models and innovation strategies‍
• Deep expertise in Agentic Commerce, AI-Driven Personalization, and Future Consumer Behavior‍
• Combines firsthand China innovation insights with practical enterprise strategy

Speaker Profile: https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/neil-sahota

Speaker Website: https://www.neilsahota.com/

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Why Neil Sahota for Verisign — Hong Kong

For Verisign’s Hong Kong event, Neil Sahota brings a powerful global AI and geopolitical perspective, particularly relevant for organizations operating across Asia, China, and international markets.

While Sharon Gai provides insight into China’s innovation ecosystem, Neil complements this with a global strategic view of AI, regulation, and competitive dynamics shaping Asia and beyond.

Neil is especially compelling for Verisign’s Hong Kong audience because he:

• Advises the United Nations on global AI initiatives and governance
• Brings perspective on AI competition across China, Asia, and Western markets
• Helps organizations navigate AI transformation at an enterprise and infrastructure level
• Provides insight into regulation, geopolitics, and global technology competition
• Focuses on practical AI strategy tied to business value and risk mitigation

For an organization like Verisign — operating at the backbone of global internet infrastructure — understanding AI, global competition, and emerging regulatory landscapes across Asia is critically important.

Neil delivers a leadership-level conversation around:

How AI is shifting global power, how Asia is influencing that shift, and how organizations must adapt to remain competitive.

This makes him a particularly strong addition to Verisign’s Hong Kong programming.

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Topic

AI Failure to Fortune: A leader’s path from AI awareness to real business value

Most leaders know AI matters. What they don’t know is how easily it goes wrong.

Organizations invest in tools, pilots, and automation only to find themselves stuck—overwhelmed by options, uncertain where to focus, and frustrated by the lack of meaningful return. Some move too fast, chasing AI without strategy. Others move too slowly, waiting for “best practices” while competitors quietly build advantages that are hard to undo.

In AI Failure to Fortune, Neil Sahota reframes the AI conversation away from tools and trends and toward what actually determines success: how an organization thinks, decides, and evolves.

Drawing from his work advising global enterprises, teaching executive leaders, and the frameworks behind his latest book, The AI Activation Code, Neil reveals why most AI initiatives fail long before technology becomes the issue. The problem is not AI capability—it’s that organizations attempt transformation without the strategic, cultural, and operational foundations required to support it.

This keynote introduces leaders to a clearer way forward: understanding where their organization truly is in the AI transformation journey—and what must happen next. Rather than jumping straight to automation or experimentation, Neil shows how successful organizations progress deliberately from awareness, to adoption, to adaptation, and ultimately to autonomy—becoming businesses that sense, learn, and adapt faster than conventional operations ever could.

The result is not just better use of AI tools, but a more responsive, intelligent organization—one that makes decisions earlier, reallocates resources faster, and builds durable competitive advantage.

This is not an abstract vision of the future. It is a practical, leadership-driven session designed to help organizations stop wasting investment, reduce risk, and begin activating AI in ways that deliver real business value.

Participants will leave with:

• A clear understanding of why most AI initiatives fail—even in well-run organizations
• Insight into the four stages of AI transformation and how to identify where their organization is today
• Clarity on what must be in place before scaling AI or investing further
• A practical leadership lens for moving from AI awareness to sustainable business impact
  

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Highlights

• Advisor to the United Nations on global AI strategy and responsible AI initiatives
• Co-Founder of the United Nations AI for Good Initiative‍
• Former IBM Master Inventor with over 20 years in emerging technologies
• CAIO (Chief AI Officer) at Consolidated Analytics
• Trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, Boards, and Private Equity firms‍
• Co-Author of bestselling books Own the A.I. Revolution and The AI Activation Code‍
• Award-Winning Professor at University of California, Irvine‍
• Board advisor helping organizations navigate AI governance, risk, and transformation‍
• Known for advising organizations on AI-driven revenue growth and competitive strategy‍
• Global keynote speaker across industries including finance, healthcare, government, and technology
• Expertise spanning AI strategy, geopolitics, regulation, and global competition‍
• One of the few speakers operating at the intersection of enterprise AI, global policy, and market disruption